The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-20

side room and we will talk together" "Oh,
no" he said, "there's no need II my
going in !; am lost man l have a beautiful
wife !; have four beautiful children had
fine profession have had thorough edll-
cation had every opportunity man ever
had, but l am captive OF strong drink; God
only knows what | suffer" l said: "Be
together about it." mo" he said, Il
can't come you can't do ME me auy good.
I was on the Hudson River Railroad yester-
day, and coming down, resolved never again
to touch drop of strong drink. While sat
there man came ina low creature-and
sat by me; he had whiskey flask, and he
said to me: 'Will you take drink II said no;
seemed that the liquor curled up around the
mouth of the flash and begged: Take me.
take me! take me- felt l couldn't resist it,
and yet 1 was determined not to drink, and |
rushed out on the platform of the car, and
l thought I would jump off; we were
going at the rate of forty miles
an hour, and l didn't dare to jump;
the paroXysm of thirst went off, and 1 am
here tonight" 1 said: "Come in. I'll pray
for you, and commend you to Cod" He
came in trembling. Some of you remember.
After the service, we walked out and up the
street. I said: "You have an awful
struggle: I'll take you into a drug
store: perhaps the doctor can give you some
medicine that will help you in your struggle.
though, after all, you will havo to depend
upon the grace of God" l said to the doc
tor: Can you give this man something to
help him in his battle against strong drink:
II CAM replied the doctor, and he pre-
pared bottle of medicine. 1 said:
There is no alcohol in this-no strong
drinky' "None at ALL" said the doctor.
''How long will this last?" I inquired. ut
will last him week" "O," I said, ''give us
another bottle" We passed out into the
street and stood under the gaslight 1t was
getting late, and said to the man: Il must
part with you. Put your trust in the Lord,
and He will see you through. You will make
use of this medicine when the paroxysm of
thirst comes on" A few weeks passed away
and got letter from Boston saying: Dear
friend, inclose the money you paid for that
medicine. 1 have never used any of it. The
thirst for strong drink has entirely gone
away from me. 1 send you two or
three newspapers to show you what
I have been doing since came to Boston"
| opened the newspapers and saw accounts
of meetings of two or three thousand people
to whom this man had been preaching right
eousness, temperance, and Judgment to
come. I have heard from him again
and again since. He is faithful now,
and will be, know, faithful to the last. o.
this work of soul saving! Would God that
out of this audience to-day SEQ men might
hear the voice of the Son Of God bidding
them come to glorious resurrection!
All the offers of the Gospel are extended to
YOU, without money and without price,
and you are conscious of the fact that these
opportunities will soon be gone forever.
The conductor of a rail-train was telling me
of the fact that he was one night standing
by his train on side track, his
train having been switched off so that
the express train might dart past unhindered.
He said while he stood there in the darkness,
beside his train on the side-track, he heard
the thunder of the express in the distance.
Then he saw the flash of the headlight.
The train came with fearful velocity,
nearer and nearer. until after awhile, when it
came very near, by the flash OF the headlight,
he saw that the switchman, either through in
toxication or indifference, had not attended to
his duty, and that the train, unless something
we're done Immediately, would rush on the
side track and dash the other train to atoms.
He shouted to the switchman: 'Set up that
switch!" and with one stroke the switch
went back, and the express thundered
on o, men and women, going on toward
the eternal world, swift as the years, swift as
the months, swift as the days, swift as the
hours, swift as the minutes, swift as the sec
onds-on what track are you running! 10
ward light or darkness9 Toward victory or
defeat! Toward heaven or hell: Set up that
switch. Cry aloud to God. Now is the day
of ca1yation